Co-op Funeralcare vs Simplicity Cremations

Direct cremations have grown rapidly in popularity, rising from just 3% of all UK funerals in 2019 to 21% in 2025*; as families look for a simpler, more affordable alternative to a costly traditional funeral.

A direct cremation is an unattended cremation with no funeral service for mourners to attend, allowing families to say goodbye in their own way, in their own time, often at a fraction of the cost of a traditional funeral.

As that demand has grown, more providers have entered the market, including some of the UK's best-known high street names. Co-op Funeralcare is one of them, and in this review we compare their direct cremation offering against Simplicity Cremations.

It's worth noting that Co-op offers a much wider range of funeral options than Simplicity, including attended Simple, Bronze, Silver and Gold funeral plans. Simplicity, by contrast, only offers direct cremations.

In this review, we've focused specifically on comparing Co-op's direct cremation funeral plan and direct cremation service against Simplicity's equivalent offering, so you can make a fair, like-for-like comparison.

All of the information below is correct at the time of publishing.

But first, who exactly are Co-op Funeralcare and Simplicity Cremations?

Who are Co-op?

Co-op is one of the UK's best-known consumer brands, best recognised for its network of nearly 2,500 food stores found in towns and villages across the country. It's a consumer co-operative, meaning it's owned by its members rather than shareholders, with several million people holding Co-op membership.

Beyond food retail, the Co-op Group operates a number of other businesses, including Co-op Insurance and Co-op Legal Services.

Co-op Funeralcare is the funeral arm of the group and is the UK's largest funeral director, with over 800 funeral homes across England, Scotland and Wales.

Unlike Simplicity, Co-op Funeralcare offers a full range of funeral options, from its low-cost Direct Cremation Plan through to Simple, Bronze, Silver and Gold plans that include an attended funeral service.

For the purposes of this review, we've compared Co-op's Direct Cremation Plan and direct cremation service against Simplicity, as this is the closest like-for-like comparison to what Simplicity offers.

Who are Simplicity Cremations?

Simplicity Cremations is a national direct cremation specialist, offering simple, low‑cost funerals without the formality or expense of a traditional service.

They're owned and operated by Dignity Funerals Ltd, one of the UK's largest and longest‑established funeral groups, whose funeral directors' heritage dates back to 1812.

Thanks to their extensive network of 45 owned crematoria across the UK, there's a good chance Simplicity Cremations will have a crematorium local to you.

Simplicity only offers direct cremations, both as a prepaid funeral plan and as an 'at‑need' service, focusing on transparent pricing, no hidden fees and straightforward arrangements handled online or by phone.

Now let's dig into the detail of how the two leading providers compare.

Co-op vs Simplicity Cremations: Funeral plan costs comparison

How much is Co-op?

Co-op's Direct Cremation Plan costs £1,700, or £1,675 for Co-op members (a £25 saving).

Co-op offers more payment options than Simplicity. You can pay in full, spread the cost over 6 or 12 months at no extra charge, or pay in instalments over 2 to 5 years (available up to age 80), where an instalment charge applies.

As an example, a 2-year instalment plan totals £1,783.94, while a 5-year plan totals £1,936.12.

How much is Simplicity Cremations?

A Simplicity Cremations prepaid direct cremation plan costs £1,799 when paid in full as a single payment.

If you'd prefer to pay in instalments, the total rises to £1,899 over a fixed 24-month term. This works out at £79.12 per month, which includes a £100 instalment fee.

Price comparison summary

At the standard upfront price, Co-op is £99 cheaper than Simplicity (or £124 cheaper for Co-op members), making it the slightly more affordable option for a lump-sum payment.

However, Simplicity's instalment plan is simpler to compare, with a single, fixed 24-month option available to all adults. Co-op's longer-term instalment plans (2–5 years) are more flexible but carry an instalment charge that increases the total cost the longer you spread payments, and are only available up to age 80.

As always, price shouldn't be the only factor. What's included, customer service, and the provider's reach can matter just as much when choosing a funeral plan.

Co-op vs Simplicity Cremations: What's included in a funeral plan?

Both providers' direct cremation plans cover the essentials of an unattended cremation, but there are some meaningful differences in the detail.

The takeaway

Both plans are built around the same core idea: a dignified, no-fuss cremation without the cost of an attended service.

Co-op's plan is a little cheaper upfront and includes a coffin with gold-effect handles as standard, while Simplicity offers the option to have ashes hand-delivered to your home (for an extra fee) - something Co-op's Direct Cremation Plan doesn't provide, as ashes must be collected or scattered.

Co-op vs Simplicity Cremations: Free gift comparison

Simplicity Cremations currently offer new customers a £50 gift card, redeemable across more than 200 retailers including M&S, John Lewis, IKEA, Argos and Sainsbury's, when they purchase a funeral plan paid in full or via instalments.

The gift card is issued via Prezzee once the plan has been active for 90 days.

Co-op doesn't currently offer an equivalent free gift or voucher incentive on its Direct Cremation Plan. Co-op members do save £25 on the plan price, but this is a straightforward discount rather than a gift card or added-value incentive.

On free gift incentives, Simplicity Cremations is the clear leader, offering genuine added value on top of an already competitively priced plan.

Co-op vs Simplicity Cremations: Buy online

Both Simplicity Cremations and Co-op offer a buy online facility for their respective prepaid funeral plans, allowing you to research, compare and purchase in your own time, without needing to speak to anyone.

Where the two differ is at the point of need. Co-op allow you to buy an at-need direct cremation online, as well as a prepaid plan. Simplicity, on the other hand, only offer their prepaid funeral plan online - if you need to arrange an at-need direct cremation, you'll need to call their team directly.

If you're planning ahead and want to understand more about how buying a funeral plan online works, what to look out for, and whether it's the right choice for you, our dedicated guide on how to buy a funeral plan online covers everything you need to know.

Co-op vs Simplicity Cremations: Direct cremation costs

If a loved one has passed away and there's no prepaid funeral plan in place, both Simplicity and Co-op offer an at-need direct cremation service.

Co-op's direct cremation costs £1,445 (England, Wales and Scotland), which Co-op advertises as an all-inclusive price with no hidden costs.

Simplicity's direct cremation costs £1,399, making it £46 cheaper at the point of need.

Both providers advertise their direct cremation as a fixed, all-inclusive price, so it's worth checking what's covered before assuming they're directly comparable; such as any charges for out-of-hours collection or the return of ashes.

Co-op vs Simplicity Cremations: Customer rating reviews

Co-op Cremations reviews (Trustpilot)

Co-op Funeralcare has over 5,470 Trustpilot reviews, with an "Excellent" 4.7 / 5 overall rating.

It's important to note that Co-op's Funeralcare Trustpilot profile covers feedback for all of their services, not just direct cremation, including their attended Simple, Bronze, Silver and Gold plans. This gives Co-op a much larger and longer-established review base, reflecting their position as the UK's largest funeral director.

Simplicity Cremations reviews (Trustpilot)

Simplicity Cremations has around 540 Trustpilot reviews, with an "Excellent" 4.8 / 5 overall rating.

It's worth noting that Simplicity only began using Trustpilot in 2026, having previously collected customer feedback through Feefo. Their Trustpilot presence is therefore newer, but the feedback to date has been consistently positive.

Customer rating reviews summary

Both providers are rated "Excellent" on Trustpilot, with Simplicity's 4.8 / 5 slightly ahead of Co-op's 4.7 / 5. Co-op's review volume is significantly larger, which isn't surprising given their scale and the fact that their rating reflects feedback across their entire funeral business, not just direct cremation customers.

Crematorium network

Simplicity Cremations has access to an extensive, fully owned network of 45 crematoria across the UK, operated by its parent company, Dignity Funerals Ltd. This gives Simplicity direct control over standards and operations, and allows most cremations to be carried out locally.

Co-op, by contrast, sold its own crematoria and now uses a wider network of approximately 40 crematoria across the UK to carry out cremations for its customers.

While this still gives Co-op broad geographic coverage, it means Co-op relies on third-party crematoria to deliver its direct cremation service, rather than operating its own facilities end-to-end in the way Simplicity does.

Simplicity Cremations vs Co-op: Cancellation & cooling‑off periods

As FCA‑regulated funeral plan providers, both Simplicity Cremations and Co-op offer a statutory cooling-off period during which customers can cancel their plan and receive a full refund. After this period, cancellation fees apply.

Co-op cancellation & cooling-off period

• You can cancel at any time
• Cooling-off period: 30 days for plans paid in full or over 6 or 12 months; 12 months for instalment plans paid over 2 to 5 years
• After the cooling-off period: a £125 cancellation fee applies

Simplicity Cremations cancellation & cooling-off period

• You can cancel at any time
• Cooling-off period: 30 days for plans paid in full; 24 months for instalment plans
• After the cooling-off period: a £300 cancellation fee applies

Cancellation & cooling-off summary

Co-op's cancellation fee is notably lower than Simplicity's (£125 vs £300), giving customers who need to cancel outside the cooling-off period a less costly exit. Simplicity's cooling-off period for instalment plans is longer (24 months vs Co-op's 12 months), giving instalment customers more time to change their mind penalty-free.

Summary review

Co-op Funeralcare and Simplicity Cremations take a different approach to direct cremation. Simplicity are a specialist, offering only direct cremations, backed by a large, fully owned crematorium network of 45 sites.

Co-op is a much broader business, best known for its food stores, and offers direct cremation as one option within a wider range of funeral plans, delivered through a network of around 40 partner crematoria.

On price, Co-op's funeral plan is currently the cheaper option upfront (£1,700, or £1,675 for members, vs Simplicity's £1,799), while Simplicity is the cheaper choice for an at-need direct cremation (£1,399 vs Co-op's £1,445).

Simplicity currently offers a £50 free gift card to new funeral plan customers, an incentive Co-op doesn't match, while Co-op's £125 cancellation fee is notably lower than Simplicity's £300.

Both providers are regulated and FSCS protected, and both hold "Excellent" ratings on Trustpilot, with Simplicity slightly ahead at 4.8 / 5 versus Co-op's 4.7 / 5 (though Co-op's rating reflects feedback across its full range of funeral services, not direct cremation alone).

Ultimately, the right choice will depend on what matters most to you: Simplicity's specialism and owned crematorium network, or Co-op's familiarity, wider range of funeral options and lower cancellation fee.

We hope this comprehensive Simplicity Cremations vs Co-op review helps you make an informed decision on which provider best meets your needs.

Sources:

*https://www.sunlife.co.uk/siteassets/documents/cost-of-dying/sunlife-cost-of-dying-report-2026.pdf

https://www.coop.co.uk/funeralcare/funeral-services/direct-cremation

https://www.coop.co.uk/funeralcare/funeral-plans/direct-cremation-plan

https://assets.ctfassets.net/iqbixcpmwym2/5diUxBkWRh7R6D3B84TDd2/ff5c047c5abe9777ca532a04ad46b6b5/FNC-798106_Preneed_TCs_FNC0090_02_2026_WEB_COP132712.pdf

https://uk.trustpilot.com/review/coop.co.uk/funeralcare

https://uk.trustpilot.com/review/www.simplicity.co.uk